Fans react to Mizzou Men's Basketball hire of Cuonzo Martin

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COLUMBIA - Many fans are excited to have Cuonzo Martin as the Mizzou Men's Basketball team's new head coach.

“After seeing his win-lose ratio, I think it’s a pretty good indicator of his future success for Mizzou basketball as long as they play well with the new coach," MU student Jackson Marsch said.

According to a press release from Mizzou Athletics, Martin has a nine-year head coaching record of 186-121.

Martin started his head coaching career at Missouri State University. He then moved on to the University of Tennessee and most recently, the University of California in Berkeley.

“Hopefully it means good things," said Jonathan Paugh, a Mizzou Men's Basketball fan. "Kim Anderson was a good coach but things weren’t getting done, so things had to change and if he can bring along the recruits that he potentially can, then it should mean some good things ahead of us.”

Paugh said he used to go to men's basketball games pretty regularly, but hasn't gone as often this season.

“I used to and then this year I went to a couple but I mean, if they’re better then I’ll definitely go to more," Paugh said.

Some fans are hoping Martin will be able to bring along Michael Porter, Jr. who is the number one basketball recruit in the country. The rumor is based on speculation Martin may hire Michael Porter, Sr. as an assistant coach.

"With the assistant coach that he may or may not potentially bring on from Washington, bringing back the Porters, would, I think, be a really cool and unique piece of Columbia, since they’re originally here from Columbia," MU student James Bachman said. “I was really excited, because I know that he’s from California and he’s got a lot of really good recruits."

Fans also think the new hire could bring more of a positive light to Mizzou.

"I think that it’s going to change up the respect that people have for the university, since we’ve kind of been a program that’s gone back and forth, from one that used to be on the top and since has kind of dwindled a little bit," Bachman said. "I think it’s going to rebuild our program to be one that’s respected across the nation."